Utility meters are used to determine the amount of a utility, such as electricity, gas or water, consumed at a given site. In particular, conventional residential electric meters are watt-hour meters which measure total energy consumed at the site and indicate the usage in standard kilowatt hours. Modern residential electric meters typically include solid-state electronics for monitoring, storing and displaying utility usage data over time. Total energy consumed, as well as other data, is digitally displayed.
For billing and management purposes, a utility provider periodically sends a meter reader to the site to directly view and report the meter display. Data from the meter may also be downloaded from the meter into a handheld device. This is a time-consuming and costly process which has produced a growing demand for more cost-efficient methods of utility accounting.
In response to the growing demand, automatic meter reading (AMR) technologies have been introduced, including radio-based, telephone line based, and power line based systems. Known radio-based apparatus and methods include meters equipped with low power radio frequency transmitters to transmit utility usage data from the meter to a central location such as a mobile van unit, or a central building. Optimal transmission efficiency requires an antenna equal in length to about 1/4 the wavelength of the transmission frequency. In particular, at the low frequencies typically used in remote meter assemblies, optimal transmission efficiency requires the use of antennas having lengths which are difficult to incorporate within a standard meter housing.
Known radio meter assemblies address this problem by using a non-standard meter housing having towers or projections to accommodate an antenna projecting from the meter assembly. However, the manufacture of such specially designed, non-standard meter housings is costly. Further, the towers or projections can present obstacles for individuals passing or working near the meter assembly.
Thus it would be desirable to provide a utility meter apparatus which includes a suitable antenna within a standard type meter housing. It would be further desirable to provide such apparatus which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. In addition, it is generally desirable in providing meter apparatus to minimize the number and size of components and mounting hardware to minimize costs and labor. It would also therefore be desirable to provide utility meter apparatus which integrates a suitable antenna with other meter components, to minimize costs and labor.